Ninety days have passed since I posted Scary market -- any safe stocks? and Still scary market -- more SAFE HAVENS.

When I wrote these original posts the market was on shaky ground with higher fuel prices, interest rate uncertainty, housing market questions, common summer market doldrums, and concerns about upcoming earnings reports, consumer spending, and inflation. Well, we made it through this valley of worry with fuel prices declining, interest rates stabilizing, employment and consumer confidence robust, and reported earnings primarily to the upside. The stock market has been riding this wave upward with the DJIA hitting news highs.

I revisited the stock suggestions I made in these posts after thirty days and decided to continue to track them. I believe in some level of accountability if one is blabbing (or blogging) about a subject, and especially since I have been writing for the Blogging Stocks site. All of the stocks have moved up in the last sixty days, but since my original posts in July, the share prices of six have moved up and two have gone down. I have not changed my mind about any of these companies or their stocks during this period.

We considered buying some more United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) and did not; we added to our position in the Southern Company (NYSE:SO) instead, which has done well, and Huaneng Power International, Inc. (NYSE:HNP) which has done even better; see: GOOG is OK but HNP could be better!

They are listed in the order I mentioned them in my earlier posts.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK.B) closed Tuesday at $3,560 up from $2,995.

Washington Mutual, Inc. (NYSE:WM) closed Tuesday at $43.00 down from $45.50.

Continue reading Market not so scary any more ... or is it?

Market not so scary any more ... or is it? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Nov 2006 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is my 100th story so it has sentimental value since I am not a writer by training. When I accepted a BloggingStocks position I was not sure I would be able to work it into my schedule, much less whether anyone would even care about what I had to say. But so far, so good.

I wanted my 100th post to have some meaning so I have decided to write about companies that have withstood the test of time. We are rapidly closing in on 2007 and United Parcel Service will be celebrating its 100th anniversary. In 2007 the cumulative histories of these five diversified companies will total 692 years of business success. Most of the histories have been gathered from other sites which I have included for those who want to learn more.

United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE:UPS) Started in 1907.

Continue reading 692 years strong: Citi, BUD, AT&T, JNJ, & UPS

692 years strong: Citi, BUD, AT&T, JNJ, & UPS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yes, Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is still one of the most fascinating companies in the world, commanding a high price and superstar investor status.

Google remains in the news with multiple stories broadcast on the web each day, and everywhere else: bonding with Apple (AAPL) and Time Warner (TWX), challenging Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo (YHOO), and eBay (EBAY), scaring newspapers and publishers, adding features to their line of products and services, getting tangled up in litigation here (Click Fraud) and abroad (Google relents and posts Belgian court ruling on its website), analysts speculation about GOOG's future share value and all this is just a partial accounting.

90 days ago I posted 10 Reasons I think Google is going down: and the following was reason number 10. This recap and update tracks current values holding myself accountable for my comments.

10. Does not pass the equivalence test.

Continue reading GOOG still FASCINATING: 90-day update on equivalency test

GOOG still FASCINATING: 90-day update on equivalency test originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Sep 2006 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.